Politics - News Analysis

MSNBC Refusing to Carry Trump’s Hijacking Of Washington DC’s Fourth of July

According to Politico, Donald Trump’s controversial takeover of the Fourth of July celebration at the National Mall won’t completely take over the cable airwaves.

MSNBC, for one, doesn’t plan to carry his “Salute to America” live, though the network will assess in real-time whether to air clips of the event.

Fox News is planning to cover “Salute to America” during a two-hour edition of “Special Report,” which airs from 6 to 8 p.m. And C-SPAN is planning to carry the event live, beginning at 6:15 p.m.

CNN representatives did not respond to requests for comment. The network is currently slated to air “The Situation Room” at 6 p.m. and a special report on the rise of white nationalism at 7 p.m., according to TV listings.

The question of whether networks provide airtime comes as Trump’s event has been dogged by criticism for politicizing the typically nonpartisan celebration of America’s independence, as well as, militarizing it with fighter jets flying overhead and tanks on the ground.

Trump has said he was inspired by Bastille Day in France, though his desire for tanks rolling through Washington D.C. has drawn comparisons to military parades in authoritarian regimes.

The president’s appearance and portions of the parade will air on ABC’s streaming channel, ABC News Live, while the network will also provide a television feed of the event that may be used by local stations. CBS’s streaming channel, CBSN, is also carrying the July 4 festivities at the National Mall.

Trump, who told reporters that he plans “to say a few words” at Thursday’s gathering, has promised it “will be like no other.”

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